Welcome to the
1,000 Facts About Space
Blog Tour!
Get ready to blast off on an illuminating journey to the farthest reaches of the universe as we celebrate the release of the 1,000 Facts About Space (National Geographic Kids Books, ages 8-12). This week, five blogs across the web are featuring out-of-this world facts about mysterious black holes, daring space travel, groundbreaking missions, awe-inspiring stars and one of the giants of the solar system – Uranus! Looking to up your galactic IQ? Read on!
Fascinating Facts About Black Holes
A black hole is a place in space where gravity is so intense that nothing can escape it, not even light. Because no one can see inside a black hole, no one knows for sure what happens to anything that falls into it. BUT, experts do know this!:
· Because black holes don’t give off any light, they are invisible through normal telescopes. Astronomers detect them by looking for x-rays shooting out of them or by watching objects circle an empty-looking area.
· When two black holes run into each other, they send ripples through space called gravity waves.
· Earth will never be swallowed by a black hole. The closest ones are thousands of light years away
· A black hole is not empty space. It is actually a whole lot of matter jammed into a really small area to create a superdense object
· The black hole M87* is gigantic. At about 25 billion miles wide, M87* is larger than our entire solar system
· If you fell into a black hole, the intense gravity would stretch your body out into a long thread before you disappeared. Astronomers call this process spaghettification.
· In 2019, a team of scientists coordinated eight radio telescopes around the world to work as a single massive telescope so they could capture the first ever image of a blackhole—at the center of galaxy M87.
· If you have an irrational fear of the universe—like the belief that the sun will kill us, Earth will stop spinning, or a black hole will swallow us up—you suffer from cosmophobia.
If you’d like to learn 992 MORE facts about black holes, planets, astronomers, telescopes, space travel, pioneers of space travel, space weather and so much more, check out 1,000 Facts About Space by astronomer Dean Regas.
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Did you know … that one of Saturn’s moons is so hollow it would float in water? That the largest known star is 3.69 billion times bigger than our sun? Or that Jupiter likely has diamonds floating in its clouds? Explore dazzling facts about the vast expanse of space, from glowing stars billions of light-years away to supermassive exploding supernovas to rockets thundering into the unknown. This comprehensive book takes you on a mind-blowing tour of our unbelievable universe and is full of fascinating facts on topics such as space exploration, our solar system and galaxy, and beyond.
Expert astronomer Dean Regas ― former host of PBS’s Star Gazers and astronomer of the Cincinnati Observatory ― takes you on an incredible tour of facts about each planet in our solar system, dwarf planets, our sun and other stars, exoplanets, comets, asteroids, galaxies, space travel, and so much more. Hundreds of stunning photographs bring the facts to life.
About the Author
DEAN REGAS has been the astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory since 2000. He is a renowned educator, author, national popularizer of astronomy, and an expert in observational astronomy.
From 2010–2019, Dean was the co-host of the PBS program Star Gazers. His books include Facts From Space!, 100 Things to See in the Night Sky, and 100 Things to See in the Night Sky, Expanded Edition. Dean is a contributing editor to Sky & Telescope magazine and a contributor to Astronomy magazine, where he won the 2008 Out-of-this-World Award for astronomy education. Dean has written more than 150 astronomy articles for the Cincinnati Enquirer, blogged for the Huffington Post, and is regularly featured on television and radio. Dean is a frequent guest on National Public Radio’s Science Friday and Here & Now. He also hosts an astronomy podcast with Anna Hehman called Looking Up. At the Cincinnati Observatory, Dean has developed his skills as a dynamic writer and public speaker who brings the complicated field of astronomy down to Earth for students of all ages. You can find him online at https://www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/dean-regas/about-dean.
Additional Resources
For additional info on the wonders of outer space, check out the kid friendly games, articles and amazing images of our galaxy and beyond at National Geographic Kids’ Passport to Space. Educators, tap into to a wealth of resources focused on space exploration, including informative videos, articles and Kahoots, at NG Education’s Resource Library.
GIVEAWAY
· One (1) winner will receive a hardcover of 1,000 Facts About Space
· US/Can only
· Ends 2/19 at 11:59 pm ET
· Enter via the Rafflecopter below
· Visit the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!
Blog Tour Schedule:
February 6th — From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors
February 7th — Imagination Soup
February 8th – Daddy Mojo
February 9th – YA Books Central
February 10th — Always in the Middle
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